Kong roars back to Universal Hollywood in 4D experience

Published: May 20, 2009 at 8:35 AM

Okay, we all knew this was happening, but Universal Studios has officially announced the details about its King Kong experience at its Hollywood, CA, theme park -- which is scheduled to open in summer 2010. As we've all heard, the Studio Tour is getting a major re-do, with huge flatscreens and -- for the King Kong section -- 3D glasses for what Universal describes as "a 4D" attraction.

Sounds pretty awesome: they're using a combination of robotics and extensive 3D projections to put guests in the middle of the cave of giant bats, then we rumble and rattle as Kong fights a dinosaur (or two) all around us. It's all based on Peter Jackson's 2005 version, which raked in over $700 million for Universal (counting DVD sales). It's the 4th highest gross of any Universal film.

This all came about because of the fire that destroyed much of the backlot. Universal is putting that insurance money to good use. For more info, click below (deadline hollywood by Nikki Finke is the better story):

Well it would be good for Universal to flex its innovative muscles finally. What do I mean? It seems that Disney is very good at coming up with theme park innnovations, and then running with them in various ways. This includes the jeep from Dinosaur or Indy, or Turle Talk/Monsters Inc/Stitch talking you you thing. Why not repeat Spiderman technology in a new way?

Are they putting this back in the same spot as the old Kong? I would find it very interesting if they do, since it is a spot that gets closed off for filming so frequently.

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Published: May 20, 2009 at 10:45 AM

4-D? I dont know, but to be honest it seems to me that Universal has done too much with so-called 4-D. Now they gonna hand out 3-D glasses? This idea seems to be too old and honestly I was always more impressed by a physical King Kong. The ability to take pictures and video help promote the real King Kong but now with this, well, chances are there's gonna be a slew of distorted King Kong projection shots all over the net. Just imagine with the technology today of lighter materials and good ingineering, we could get a more animated physical Kong. Sadly that idea seems to have been tossed to the side for an elaborate movie projected experience. I know, I'm sounding like one of those theme park enthusiest that complain until I see the product then do an about face. I'm not predicting it a bust, on the contrary I imagine the casual visitor will not mind and so be it, that's how the industry works, it's not set to cater to one person or group. But I do wish they would up the creative will and brig a living breating Kong... But hey, that's just my two cents.

These 3-D and 4-D attractions are really overused. The designers think that they can jazz them up with moving seats, water elements, air bursts, and other "innovations", but the fact still remains that it's a movie. The 3-D technology tires quickly, unlike that of a real animatronic character.

I'm sure it will be impressive regardless of my criticisms, but I wish they would build another Kong animatronic.